Te Puke Economic Development Group chairman Mark Boyle said the community was positive about the change and he had heard no negative feedback.
"Te Puke still has a very good feel about being busy and active. If you take away the noise and the smell and the distraction of heavy traffic trucks, it actually makes the place more inviting and interesting."
The town had embraced the Goodness Grows Here Highway concept, radio host Robbie Rakete had just won the Te Puke Highway song competition and a working group was about to be formed dedicated to ideas on how to "dress up the main street," he said.
Ella's Cafe owener, Janet May, said Te Puke had the potential to "boom", but said that it needed to attract specialised businesses.
"You have to have different shops and, in Te Puke, we have lots of $2 shops and similar outlets. People aren't going to come for that."
She had noticed no decline in business and said it was picking up increased trade from Papamoa with garden clubs and big groups travelling over, "which is great".
Xcetera Xcetera owner Murray Holyoake said he felt positive but it was early days. "I absolutely hope it all transpires."
He had been in business for 21 years and said he'd also noticed an increase of people coming from Papamoa in the past fortnight.
"Our assumption is they are using the new road to see what it is about. They are going one way and coming back the other through Te Puke it's a good stopping point."
World of Taste owner Walter Unger said the bypass had no effect on business and he was feeling optimistic. "It is a great little town. I have been living here for 45 years."
Shop Te Puke Retail Group chairperson Lynette Lochhead said everyone needed to "pull together and showcase Te Puke as a gorgeous little town".
About 33 businesses got together last week to showcase their businesses and promote the town, she said.
"It was fabulous and really well supported."